Tisha B'Av and finishing up with USY

Tisha B’Av – It seems quieter here, and all the TV shows (the first I’ve watched in 3 weeks, since we’re relatively idle today) are shows talking about the rift between Orthodox and Secular and the issues of sin’at chinam (baseless hatred, on the of reasons rabbinic sources site for the destruction of the Second Temple) and ahavat chinam (a term coined by early religious Zionist leader Rav Kook, unsolicited or baseless love – loving people because they are God’s creation) No matter which morning talk show you tune to, that is the topic of conversation, including among secular talk show hosts and news analysts.

Wednesday we went to Hod HaSharon to visit Linda Mosek and her non-profit, Click. Click provides the elderly of Hod HaSharon with day activities, meaningful work, therapy, companionship, and some workers receive compensation for their handicrafts. The also provide piecework, making gift items, embroidery, pillows, wall hangings for home-bound elderly. They run 5 neighborhood centers and are a unique model for Social Entrepreneurship. Linda, who has a doctorate in Social Work and an MBA runs dozens of programs, helps hundreds of people, and is an inspiring leader. The USYers made several different art projects with seniors with mental disabilities which will in turn be donated to kids in hospitals. We helped underwrite the cost of the art supplies and were able to leave a cash contribution with Linda to help her provide medical taxi rides to some of her workers who cannot travel by conventional means. The other half of the USY group met with Rina Kahan, administrator of the Non-Profit to Benefit Girlfriends of Fallen IDF Soldiers and Donna, one of the girl friends who benefited from the group. It was a very moving morning.

After our last (thankfully) USY box lunch, we returned to Jerusalem to meet with Ruth Schlossman, founder of Gift of Comfort, one of my favorite Mitzvah Heroes, who in response to the terror attacks of the beginning of the decade started an effort to provide 10 therapeutic treatments not covered by insurance (massage, reflexology (very popular here), acupuncture, etc.). Gift of Comfort’s entire budget for a year is $6,000, and Mitzvah Heroes Fund is very proud to be in position to provide about 40% of their funding this year. This project is very efficient with their Mitzvahs.

Danny and I had a quick dinner at Doron’s, and I did some clean up, read Eicha and went to bed early. Thursday is a day to get caught up a bit on phone calls and scheduling. It is very quiet in our neighborhood today. More later.